Wednesday, July 31, 2013
Friday, July 26, 2013
The Creator, Mother Earth & You
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vn1ym5r7pqg&feature=youtube_gdata_player
The natural world was made by God.
Ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds in the sky, and they will tell you; or speak to the earth, and it will teach you, or let the fish in the sea inform you. Which of all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this? In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind.—Job 12:7–10 NIV
In His hand are the deep places of the earth; the heights of the hills are His also. The sea is His, for He made it; and His hands formed the dry land.—Psalm 95:4–5
All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.—John 1:3
The power and wisdom of God can be seen in nature.
Listen to this, Job; stop and consider God’s wonders. Do you know how God controls the clouds and makes his lightning flash? Do you know how the clouds hang poised, those wonders of him who has perfect knowledge?—Job 37:14–16 NIV
The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.—Psalm 19:1 NIV
Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one and calls forth each of them by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing.—Isaiah 40:26 NIV
Since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made.—Romans 1:20 NIV
O Lord, what a variety of things you have made! In wisdom you have made them all. The earth is full of your creatures. Here is the ocean, vast and wide, teeming with life of every kind, both large and small. —Psalm 104:24–25 NLT
God and nature have a living relationship.
The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display his craftsmanship.— Psalm 19:1 NLT
The earth is full of [God’s] unfailing love.—Psalm 33:5 NIV
You care for the land and water it; you enrich it abundantly. You drench its furrows and level its ridges; you soften it with showers and bless its crops. The grasslands of the wilderness overflow; the hills are clothed with gladness. The meadows are covered with flocks and the valleys are mantled with grain; they shout for joy and sing.—Psalm 65:9–10, 12–13 NIV
The Lord is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made.— Psalm 145:9 NIV
The beast of the field will honor Me, the jackals and the ostriches, because I give waters in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.—Isaiah 43:20
You have made heaven, the earth and everything on it, the seas and all that is in them, and You preserve them all.—Nehemiah 9:6
Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them.—Matthew 6:26
God expects us to take care of the natural world.
Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”—Genesis 1:26 NIV
The land belongs to me. You are only foreigners and tenant farmers working for me.—Leviticus 25:23 NLT
A righteous man regards the life of his animal.—Proverbs 12:10
Lack of care for His creation displeases God.
They have made it an empty wasteland; I hear its mournful cry. The whole land is desolate, and no one even cares.—Jeremiah 12:11 NLT
Woe to you shepherds who only take care of yourselves! Should not shepherds take care of the flock? You eat the curds, clothe yourselves with the wool and slaughter the choice animals, but you do not take care of the flock.—Ezekiel 34:2–3 NIV
Is it not enough for you to feed on the good pasture? Must you also trample the rest of your pasture with your feet? Is it not enough for you to drink clear water? Must you also muddy the rest with your feet?—Ezekiel 34:18 NIV
If we don’t take care of our planet, we will suffer the consequences.
The earth mourns and dries up, and the crops waste away and wither. Even the greatest people on earth waste away. The earth suffers for the sins of its people, for they have twisted God’s instructions, violated his laws, and broken his everlasting covenant. Therefore, a curse consumes the earth.—Isaiah 24:4–6 NLT
The time has come for rewarding your servants the prophets and people—and for destroying those who destroy the earth.—Revelation 11:18 NIV ■
Thursday, July 25, 2013
Woman-The True Leader
Native societies are traditionally matrilineal and matrilocal. Many Native American tribes have been matrilineal.
Matrilocal means that a married couple lived with or near the woman’s family, that women owned their homes and fields, and a child’s clan affiliation derived from the mother.
“Europeans were astonished to see that native women were the equals of men—politically, economically and theologically. “Women had autonomy and sexual freedom, could obtain divorce easily, rarely experienced rape or domestic violence, worked as producers/farmers, owned their own homes and fields, possessed a cosmology that contains female supernatural figures, and had significant political and economic power,”.
“Native women’s close association with nature, as mothers and producers, served as a basis of their power within the tribe, not as a basis of oppression. Their position as ‘the other’ led to gender equivalence, not hierarchy.”
“The U.S. government and missionaries made a concerted effort to transform native gender roles and attitudes towards sexuality and the body,” says Johnston. “They sought to inculcate Euro-American values of true womanhood and confine native women to the domestic sphere.
They met with resistance from the traditional natives, but, over the course of contact, wealthier members of that society, often of mixed ancestry, readily accepted both Christianity and the ideals of true womanhood.
This gender inequality intersected with class inequality because more affluent women were freed from most domestic labor by hired help of slaves, and they had the means to acquire education and gentility.
By the end of the 18th century, native women no longer agreed among themselves what it meant to be a woman.”
Our society is modeled after White Euro-American values. Maybe the matrilinear societies were set up for balance, for women to have power.
Maybe it was the white European society that came in and conquered that insisted on patriarchy.
_______________________________
Cultural Perspective
Kay Givens McGowan writes, “The great Native American civilizations of the Southeast … including the Cherokee, Choc-taw, Chickasaw, Muscogee, and Seminole, Yamassee—were matriarchal societies. In them, women, as equals of the men, had power and influence.
All of this changed with the coming of the Europeans, who assumed that Native people lived as Europeans did, in patriarchal systems, in which elite men defined the “appropriate way” for women to behave.”
The Haudenosaunee Clan Mothers are an example of the powerful roles American Indian women held.
The Onondaga Nation website states that the Clan Mothers “work with chiefs in making decisions for the people.” They also have the duty to ensure their way of life continues.
The Tuscarora women in North Carolina are known for their strength and resiliency as described in the stories of how the women fought until their last breath during the Fort Neeherooka massacre where the monument stands today, hundreds of years later as a reminder. Our Tuscarora relatives in New York also exemplified this during the "Death March or Death Trail" when relocating to New York and our Tuscarora women who stayed and were fragmented, enslaved and in many cases sacrificed their identities in order to survive.
The traditional roles of women in American Indian cultures have never been uniform, varying over time and from culture to culture.
The coming of the Europeans and their eventual domination of the continent disrupted all aspects of Native societies, including the roles of American Indian women.
Today, women of the First Peoples of the U.S. and Canada are seeking to reclaim their traditional roles even as their nations seek to reclaim their heritage.
_______________________________
The woman has been subjugated by design. The Subjugation of the woman came into institutionalized social practice by Edicts and Bulls issued from the Roman Church.
Subjugation means to bring under the Yoke or into Subjection; to bring into bondage or complete subservient, submissive control.
(Down the line in time, they burned the books of the ancient information regarding civilization for civilized people, and eventually, for a more closer radius, after the Re-Construction era, began educating us, and our children, thus the public educational system has greatly assisted in the now dumb-down education.
The Public School system was originated to watch children while parents worked in factories. The purpose of it, from its onset was not conducive to a pristine education.
It was more like a baby-sitting service, and let’s face it, that is what it has come to now, however it becomes more and more difficult to manage a people, or even relate to a people who are lacking in the fundamentals which are supposed to be passed down from their Mother, while in the womb (the first school room), and during the most impressionable years.
The modern natives have forgotten the principles of the most important factor, the raising of the children who are placed into society to govern themselves and society.
That is the concept and purpose of government (govern-the-mental). This is not to say that there ought not be institutions of learning, of refinement of the mental faculties, and development of the being.
The question to ask is who is governing your mental?, and the mental of your children? .
The Inquisitionists’ Pseudo-Religiously imposed unconsciousness of the Woman, is key to maintaining the subjugation of the Nation, and the denial of the Nation’s Nationality and Birthrights.
Pseudo-religion is the suppression of Civilization and the propagation of idol-god worship, and the mental-suppression tactical usages of Fear, Guilt, and Superstition.
This suppression continues due to the natives lack of knowledge of self. As an example, by her not knowing that the true meaning of religion means “the study of the stars”, she continues to force herself and her children to practice pseudo-religion, which is designed to suppress civilization.
If she were truly conscious she would not subject her children to false teachings that teach inferiority, she would be in tune with her nature, thus knowing that each energy (child) she brings into physical manifestation has a purpose, and she would never use terms such as a "generation gap", because she would know that what influences the child she brings in, is based on the cycles of energy at the time of conception and throughout the pregnancy and birth.
She would know the child, and be able to bend their inclinations at a young age towards their purpose.
Sometimes when one pays close attention, and listens carefully, a child will tell you who they are, and who they are not.
Let us clear up some confusion regarding the Matriarch / Patriarch.
If anyone tells you that there exist, or will exist, a Matriarch and a Patriarch, clearly they don't know what a Matriarch is. The Patriarch does not include the woman in her proper position.
She is usually depicted as someone inferior, or insubordinate. It was / is the inquisitionists intent to use mental warfare methodologies to separate and divide men against Women. (see Willie Lynch)..
Last word: think about your own mom, dad definitely is the enforcer usually with the last word but if you are willing to be intellectually honest with yourself you will realize that mom allows him to be the head.
My mom wore a shirt, "if mama ain't happy nobody is happy". I think that has some truth to it.
Respectfully, if it wasn't for mom, most households would unravel. To Deny the the importance and role of women is like taking a point blank shot at both feet then trying to run a race. Failing before you start.
Lovell Pierce Jr
Wednesday, July 24, 2013
Turquoise Spiritual Beliefs
Turquoise Spiritual Beliefs
Crystal Habit that create Turquoise Spiritual Properties
To understand what Turquoise Spiritual Beliefs are you have to know some history. For those who follow the Wicca, New Age or believe in the Spirit World, Crystals, Minerals, Rocks, Semi-Precious Stones and metals can have powers for Astral Travel, Aura Cleansing, Channeling, Cosmic Awareness, Crystal Healing, ESP, Meditation, Psychic Communication, Psychic Energy and Transcendental Meditation. They also believe a crystal can have crystal magic that gives it the ability to connect to spirits, spirit guides, spiritual energy and help with channeling spirits and increase cosmic awareness.
Modern Turquoise Spiritual Myths
Modern Spiritualists consider Turquoise to have the Turquoise Spiritual Properties to be of spiritual attunement, cleansing, protection and prosperity and a symbol of the Earth and sky, good fortune and success. The Turquoise Spiritual Properties are wonderful and helpful to most people.
Protection-Spiritualists say its change of color from dark to light to its ability to detect poisons, danger, infidelity or sickness. This myth concerning Turquoise Spiritual Properties has survived to modern times. It is an excellent token of protection for physical and astral travel and vision quests, during which it acts as a grounding force, strengthening the user against fear of the unknown by enhancing one’s feelings of trust, kindness, wisdom and understanding. It can ward off strong negativity and protect from the evil eye, reptile bites and diseases of the eye. Further, Shamans extend its protective powers to one’s property.
Superstitions-Some believe you should avoid wearing turquoise that belongs to a deceased person or that it takes on characteristics of the wearer.
Gender of the Stone-Turquoise is androgynous with a good balance of yin and yang.
Attunement-New Age followers believe Turquoise Spiritual beliefs focus on what attunes the physical to the higher realms, balances the mind and soul and connects with all life. Some cultures consider it a bridge between heaven and Earth.
Middle Eastern Spiritual Myths
Turquoise Spiritual Properties
Because, over the millennia of its use, much of the world’s supply of the stone has come from Persia, the number of superstitions surrounding Turquoise that originate from Persia and the surrounding area of the Middle East is great. To begin, Hebrew tradition states that Isaac opened the first mines in Persia.
Good Luck- Having seen the reflection of the new moon in a stone of Turquoise, a person was believed to encounter good luck soon, according to Persian lore. Arabian superstition said it was a lucky stone and that it had good powers of benevolence. They also attributed the accumulation of wealth and prosperity with the stone. They could be seen wearing ribbon Turquoise as well as jewelry turquoise.
Turquoise Spiritual Beliefs Warning- The people of the Afghanistan, Persia, India, and Arabia thought that a Turquoise stone that changed color was an omen of illnesses or death. Muslim beliefs say that a change in Turquoise’s color meant that a woman had been unfaithful. Arab writings from the 12th century warned that a pale stone meant polluted air or a change in the weather.
Turquoise Spiritual Beliefs for Healing- Dipping Turquoise in water gave the water the ability to cure bladder ailments. It could heal the eye simply by looking at it.
Native American Turquoise Spiritual Myths
As another major source of Turquoise for centuries, Pre-Columbian America is also rich in Turquoise legend. There are many Turquoise Spiritual properties that the Native Americans believe in. It is one of the most important holy stones in their belief system for protection of the body and soul. Turquoise Spiritual beliefs concerning Turquoise are deep when it comes to the Native Americans.
Turquoise Spiritual beliefs about Weather-The Navajo culture of New Mexico and Arizona utilized Turquoise in their rain ceremonies, which required the tossing of the stone into a river.
Turquoise Spritual properties about War- Some cultures said it was important in ensuring the fortunes of warriors, hunters, and all tribal members. The Apache felt that Turquoise combined the powers of the sky and the sea to help hunters and warriors aim accurately.
The Heavens- Others believed it hat the ability to connect the Earth and the Sky, symbols of the spirit and the body. The Navajo believe that a piece of Turquoise is actually a piece of the sky that has fallen to Earth. Archaeologists have recovered Turquoise from burial sites in Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Peru, Mexico, and other parts of south and central America.
Central America Turquoise Spiritual Properties Beliefs
Turquoise Spiritual Properties of Protection-The superstitions of the Zuni said that Turquoise could protect them from demons. This is the same as the beliefs of the Inca, Aztec and Maya. These Native Americans had many other beliefs about Turquoise Spirtual properties.
European Turquoise Spiritual Myths
Turquoise has only been know as such recently in its long history. The name Turquoise means Turkish stone and comes from European markets in the Middle Ages, who received it from Turkish traders who brought it from Persia. In antiquity, Pliny had named it callais, Greek kalos lithos for "beautiful stone." European superstitions have long associate turquoise with horses. They believed that it could protect horses from danger and illnesses as well as the rider from any fall that might occur while riding. Europeans of the middle ages said that Turquoise would lose its color when the wearer contracted an illness and was a gauge of the general health of a person.
Turquoise Spiritual Beliefs
Christianity vs Native Spiritually
Introduction
Brothers and Sisters,
Some would read this title and scoff, thinking that this is at best an impossible hope. I am deeply sorry that so many feel that way, and it is exactly why such a thing needs to be attempted.
Let me be very clear in saying that I don’t pretend to believe that I can adequately answer each and every quibble and disagreement between Christian Faith and Amerindian spirituality. I cannot bring reconciliation in every area in which they meet a discord. Here I have only answered those things which I felt the Spirit of God pressing upon my heart to answer and to seek to bring reconciliation in the areas where the Spirit has given me tools to bring it.
In one sense, this is an attempt to explain each to one another. To explain either is intensely difficult: Amerindian spirituality is diverse and highly individualistic, and Christianity is a split between the institutional religion which claims to be authentic and the original Faith of Jesus lived out in relationship with Him. There are misconceptions about both on both sides, essentially, and I am sure there are some whose minds will not change where their opinions are concerned. I respect and honor them the same.
My purpose is also to show that many of the wrongs penned to Christianity and the disagreements that have arisen between Indian peoples and Christians on spirituality find their root in the institutional system of Christianity invented by the Europeans which focuses on dogma and doctrine in theory rather than on relationship with the Person of God in which doctrine is lived out and expressed through a quality of life. By showing this, my intention is to contrast this system with the living faith expressed in the New Testament, which was lived out in the early church, and which has, since the time of the Reformation, been slowly reappearing. The reason for this is that understanding the difference between the man-made system and the community envisioned by the Spirit and written about in the Bible, I believe, will help Amerindian people to be more open to what I have to say here. Such a statement, however, limits the number of Christians who may read this, as the multitudes neither believe nor are cued into the idea that the religion they practice is man-made and is void of biblical or spiritual authority.
This is not an attempt at Proselytism, nor a desire to see people on either side stumble in their pursuit of Creator. Rather, this is an invitation to dialogue. My deep-founded hope is that people of both sides will contribute to this discussion thoughtful and Spirit-borne words which will help us all better understand one another and perhaps grow closer. I repeat: this is intended as the beginning of a discussion. Young men and Grandfathers, young women and Grandmothers, whatever your opinion, whatever your stance, I invite you to speak and I desperately wish to hear what you have to say. Even if we do not agree, and even if we believe differently on some matters, my prayer and hope is that we may still be of one Spirit and one heart, and joined by the unity of who we are in our Creator, and nothing else.
My brothers and sisters, I hope that this blesses your spirit, and my prayer to the Creator, the Great Mystery, our Heavenly Father, the All-Nourishing Mother (El Shaddai,) the God of the Heavens and the Earth, is that the rift be filled.
Yours,
Three Dogs
Part I: Christian Misunderstandings about Indian Spirituality
1. Indians worship the Earth, or at the very least, put far too much emphasis on it.
This attack stems from a very Eurocentric worldview which was inserted into Christianity first by Constantine and later by the barbarian invaders who brought their own mindsets and attitudes towards the world into the faith. European ideologies make no room for respect for the Earth; from Feudalism to the Industrial Revolution, the idea of the Earth as being a sacred thing worthy of respect has been foreign to European thought.
The American Indian has a deep and abiding respect for the Earth, and this connection is a large factor in Amerindian spirituality. Our elders teach us that the Earth is our Mother—not merely in a metaphorical sense, but it in a very real way has provided all of the materials for our bodies (as a true mother does) and has worked meticulously to form us. We are taught that as children of the Earth, we must give her sacred honor as we would our very own mother, taking from her only the things we need and being careful to honor her however we can. We are taught that the heart of the Creator is for the Earth—for its health, benefit, and progress.
Europeans, with their misguided views of worship and lack of understanding concerning their place in the world, mistook our reverence for Mother Earth as a form of Creation worship or what is commonly called “pantheism.” Our Respect for the Earth in no way takes preeminence over our love for the Creator; in everything we are careful to put the Spirit before the Creation.
This line of thought has also given way to the idea that Amerindians practice some form of animism, worshipping nature spirits. This is also a misconception. Nature as a whole—made up of the Rock, Plant, and Animal people in addition to human beings—is looked at as a community which works together to maintain balance and harmony. The traits displayed in some of the members of this community are responded to with awe and, usually, these traits are adopted or reciprocated in the individuals who admire them. For example, an individual may honor the Eagle in a very special way because of a trait they share. (More on this in #3)
This disconnection from the Earth, however, is highly unbiblical. All throughout the Old Testament, the importance of the Earth is shouted from the pages. When Creator finishes the Earth in Genesis 1, He is very pleased with what He has made, and when He makes man, Man’s primary job is to take care of the land in which he has put him. The land which Israel was to inherit is loudly also emphasized, and it is only by living in reverence for Creator and their neighbor (and giving the land peace every seven years from farming, which is a sign of honor) that Israel is permitted to stay in the land. The Bible is in one accord with the teaching of our ancestors that God cares very deeply for the Earth and wishes for us to do the same. In the New Testament, those who destroy the Earth are promised retribution, for it is God’s holy creation (Revelation 11:18). It is safe to infer, then, that the European disconnection from the Earth and lack of deep care for its well-being is not a hallmark of first century Christianity, but a later addition from the Eurocentric worldview.
2. Indians worship their ancestors.
Much like the discrepancy concerning our deep love for our Earth Mother, our reverence for our ancestors is not worship, but rather a respect born out of a connection. The American Indian understands and is taught that his or her ancestors are his or her forerunners on the earth, and that he or she is the embodiment of their legacy. Everything they have worked for, dreamed for, and lived for continues on in the individual. Likewise, it is believed and taught that their experiences and lessons are available to us deep within our person, and that we should seek to model ourselves after their examples (if, of course, they have lived with honor).
European Christians have assumed that ancestor reverence equals the worship of human beings. Such an idea could not be further from the Indian concept of ancestor reverence. We believe that our ancestors lift up prayers and intercessions for us in the Spirit, and that their spirits watch over us while in union with the Creator; in no way, shape, or form do we believe that they are more powerful than the Creator or more able to help us than the Father of all spirits is. If a prayer is lifted up to them, it is known that the plea is not lifted to an earthly man, but to a spirit who is joined as one to the Spirit of the Creator, and that we are appealing to Creator to give us guidance through the individual.
Unfortunately, European Christianity has removed the deeply biblical reverence for our ancestors in an effort to undermine the importance of individual legacy and destiny. (I attribute this to the institutional church’s use of the word ‘father’ for the clergy, pacifying the fathers of the families who were meant to be the guiding voice and passer down of the family legacy). In the Bible, people were known by who their ancestors were, and who their ancestors were often pointed to what they were destined to do. The destiny of Yahshua/Yahoshua aka Jesus Christ Himself was determined by His ancestry in David, and Jesus honored His ancestor in His life by living in the same way he did as a shepherd (guide, counselor, healer, protector) t
Brothers and Sisters,
Some would read this title and scoff, thinking that this is at best an impossible hope. I am deeply sorry that so many feel that way, and it is exactly why such a thing needs to be attempted.
Let me be very clear in saying that I don’t pretend to believe that I can adequately answer each and every quibble and disagreement between Christian Faith and Amerindian spirituality. I cannot bring reconciliation in every area in which they meet a discord. Here I have only answered those things which I felt the Spirit of God pressing upon my heart to answer and to seek to bring reconciliation in the areas where the Spirit has given me tools to bring it.
In one sense, this is an attempt to explain each to one another. To explain either is intensely difficult: Amerindian spirituality is diverse and highly individualistic, and Christianity is a split between the institutional religion which claims to be authentic and the original Faith of Jesus lived out in relationship with Him. There are misconceptions about both on both sides, essentially, and I am sure there are some whose minds will not change where their opinions are concerned. I respect and honor them the same.
My purpose is also to show that many of the wrongs penned to Christianity and the disagreements that have arisen between Indian peoples and Christians on spirituality find their root in the institutional system of Christianity invented by the Europeans which focuses on dogma and doctrine in theory rather than on relationship with the Person of God in which doctrine is lived out and expressed through a quality of life. By showing this, my intention is to contrast this system with the living faith expressed in the New Testament, which was lived out in the early church, and which has, since the time of the Reformation, been slowly reappearing. The reason for this is that understanding the difference between the man-made system and the community envisioned by the Spirit and written about in the Bible, I believe, will help Amerindian people to be more open to what I have to say here. Such a statement, however, limits the number of Christians who may read this, as the multitudes neither believe nor are cued into the idea that the religion they practice is man-made and is void of biblical or spiritual authority.
This is not an attempt at Proselytism, nor a desire to see people on either side stumble in their pursuit of Creator. Rather, this is an invitation to dialogue. My deep-founded hope is that people of both sides will contribute to this discussion thoughtful and Spirit-borne words which will help us all better understand one another and perhaps grow closer. I repeat: this is intended as the beginning of a discussion. Young men and Grandfathers, young women and Grandmothers, whatever your opinion, whatever your stance, I invite you to speak and I desperately wish to hear what you have to say. Even if we do not agree, and even if we believe differently on some matters, my prayer and hope is that we may still be of one Spirit and one heart, and joined by the unity of who we are in our Creator, and nothing else.
My brothers and sisters, I hope that this blesses your spirit, and my prayer to the Creator, the Great Mystery, our Heavenly Father, the All-Nourishing Mother (El Shaddai,) the God of the Heavens and the Earth, is that the rift be filled.
Yours,
Three Dogs
Part I: Christian Misunderstandings about Indian Spirituality
1. Indians worship the Earth, or at the very least, put far too much emphasis on it.
This attack stems from a very Eurocentric worldview which was inserted into Christianity first by Constantine and later by the barbarian invaders who brought their own mindsets and attitudes towards the world into the faith. European ideologies make no room for respect for the Earth; from Feudalism to the Industrial Revolution, the idea of the Earth as being a sacred thing worthy of respect has been foreign to European thought.
The American Indian has a deep and abiding respect for the Earth, and this connection is a large factor in Amerindian spirituality. Our elders teach us that the Earth is our Mother—not merely in a metaphorical sense, but it in a very real way has provided all of the materials for our bodies (as a true mother does) and has worked meticulously to form us. We are taught that as children of the Earth, we must give her sacred honor as we would our very own mother, taking from her only the things we need and being careful to honor her however we can. We are taught that the heart of the Creator is for the Earth—for its health, benefit, and progress.
Europeans, with their misguided views of worship and lack of understanding concerning their place in the world, mistook our reverence for Mother Earth as a form of Creation worship or what is commonly called “pantheism.” Our Respect for the Earth in no way takes preeminence over our love for the Creator; in everything we are careful to put the Spirit before the Creation.
This line of thought has also given way to the idea that Amerindians practice some form of animism, worshipping nature spirits. This is also a misconception. Nature as a whole—made up of the Rock, Plant, and Animal people in addition to human beings—is looked at as a community which works together to maintain balance and harmony. The traits displayed in some of the members of this community are responded to with awe and, usually, these traits are adopted or reciprocated in the individuals who admire them. For example, an individual may honor the Eagle in a very special way because of a trait they share. (More on this in #3)
This disconnection from the Earth, however, is highly unbiblical. All throughout the Old Testament, the importance of the Earth is shouted from the pages. When Creator finishes the Earth in Genesis 1, He is very pleased with what He has made, and when He makes man, Man’s primary job is to take care of the land in which he has put him. The land which Israel was to inherit is loudly also emphasized, and it is only by living in reverence for Creator and their neighbor (and giving the land peace every seven years from farming, which is a sign of honor) that Israel is permitted to stay in the land. The Bible is in one accord with the teaching of our ancestors that God cares very deeply for the Earth and wishes for us to do the same. In the New Testament, those who destroy the Earth are promised retribution, for it is God’s holy creation (Revelation 11:18). It is safe to infer, then, that the European disconnection from the Earth and lack of deep care for its well-being is not a hallmark of first century Christianity, but a later addition from the Eurocentric worldview.
2. Indians worship their ancestors.
Much like the discrepancy concerning our deep love for our Earth Mother, our reverence for our ancestors is not worship, but rather a respect born out of a connection. The American Indian understands and is taught that his or her ancestors are his or her forerunners on the earth, and that he or she is the embodiment of their legacy. Everything they have worked for, dreamed for, and lived for continues on in the individual. Likewise, it is believed and taught that their experiences and lessons are available to us deep within our person, and that we should seek to model ourselves after their examples (if, of course, they have lived with honor).
European Christians have assumed that ancestor reverence equals the worship of human beings. Such an idea could not be further from the Indian concept of ancestor reverence. We believe that our ancestors lift up prayers and intercessions for us in the Spirit, and that their spirits watch over us while in union with the Creator; in no way, shape, or form do we believe that they are more powerful than the Creator or more able to help us than the Father of all spirits is. If a prayer is lifted up to them, it is known that the plea is not lifted to an earthly man, but to a spirit who is joined as one to the Spirit of the Creator, and that we are appealing to Creator to give us guidance through the individual.
Unfortunately, European Christianity has removed the deeply biblical reverence for our ancestors in an effort to undermine the importance of individual legacy and destiny. (I attribute this to the institutional church’s use of the word ‘father’ for the clergy, pacifying the fathers of the families who were meant to be the guiding voice and passer down of the family legacy). In the Bible, people were known by who their ancestors were, and who their ancestors were often pointed to what they were destined to do. The destiny of Yahshua/Yahoshua aka Jesus Christ Himself was determined by His ancestry in David, and Jesus honored His ancestor in His life by living in the same way he did as a shepherd (guide, counselor, healer, protector) t
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